Entropy
by SherlockBones
Summary: The third installment in the Simple Chemistry series. As promised, Booth is taking Parker to Disney World. Can they convince Brennan to tag along for a "family" vacation? Fluff ensues.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to the third installment in the Simple Chemistry Series. As usual, I don't own anything. You don't need to read the other stories to follow this one, but I'd love it if you read them anyway. Thank you to everyone for all of your support and encouragement.

"**entropy.** (S)

Entropy is a measure of energy dispersal. Any spontaneous change disperses energy and increases entropy overall. For example, when water evaporates, the internal energy of the water is dispersed with the water vapor produced, corresponding to an increase in entropy."

Chapter 1

The first rays of dawn were creeping into the room when Seeley Booth was jolted into consciousness by a sudden weight crashing down on his chest, effectively knocking the wind out of him. He groaned and threw a pillow over his head, causing the mass on his chest to giggle. "Daddy!" Park shrieked, his small form quivering in excitement. "Is it time to go to Disney yet?" His caramel colored eyes shone brightly as he gazed eagerly at his father.

"Disney isn't for two more days, bub", came the muffled reply came from beneath the pillow.

"Awww…I had a dream that I went to Disney and met Dumbo and Mickey and Tarzan! Then, we all went and rode all the fastest rides! And Buzz Lightyear was there too! We ate ice cream and pizza and had so much fun! So when I woke up, I thought it was time to go…" Parker pouted.

"Sunday will be here before you know it, and then we'll be on our way to Disney for a whole week." It had been three months since the shooting and Booth was finally fulfilling his promise to Parker, a trip to Walt Disney World. Rebecca was not initially thrilled with the idea, but even she could not resist Booth's charming smile. Cullen was also not happy about losing his best agent for any length of time, but seeing as Booth hadn't been on vacation in two years, he was well overdue for a break. At hearing the news, Parker had been excited to say the least; and had been asking his father everyday since the news broke if it was time to go yet. After what seemed like an eternity to Parker, summer vacation was here and they would be leaving in two days for Florida.

While it was currently only 5:30 am, Booth accepted that there was no way Parker was going back to sleep, so he may as well get up. He gently displaced his son onto the mattress as he slid out of bed. He began his morning exercises to help wake himself up.

"Hey Daddy?" Parker continued to bounce on the bed, his messy blonde curls flopping up and down.

"What is it, bub?"

"Can Bones come with us to Disney World?" Booth stopped mid-crunch to stare at the boy; seeing the confused look upon his father's face, Parker continued, "It's supposed to be the happiest place in the world, right? Well, you said that Bones has been kind of sad lately because her friend went away. I think she should come to Disney with us so then she'll be happy again!" He exclaimed, excitement coursing through his small body.

"I don't think Bones would really enjoy going to Disney. Besides, we're leaving in two days. I don't think that would give her much time to get ready and buy a plane ticket." Booth shook his head, noting the dejected look on the fair-haired boy's face. He felt torn; part of him wanted Bones to come as well, to spend some quality time with the two most important people in his life, but he knew there was a snowball's chance in Hell that she would agree to go.

"You absolutely sure about this? I thought you wanted it to be just me and you."

"I'm very very very sure! Please Daddy?"

"Okay, but I can't guarantee that she'll go, buddy. So you gotta promise that you won't get too upset if she says no."

"I promise, but she won't say no."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I just know."

"Okay, smart guy," Booth said, glancing at the clock, "but let's let her sleep for a little while before we call, okay? Now let's go get some breakfast." Parker nodded vigorously and practically dragged his father out of the room towards the kitchen.

Just after 7am, Temperance Brennan was sitting at her desk examining a radiating skull fracture when her cell phone shrilled loudly. Glancing at the screen, she sighed heavily and pushed the 'talk' button. "Booth, I already told you that I'm too busy to go to the diner today."

"Bones?" Brennan froze, caught off guard by a dramatically different voice. She paused momentarily before continuing. "Who is this?"

"It's Parker." Although Booth could only hear half the conversation he could picture the confused look on his partner's face; he began chuckling quiety. "I just wanted to ask you a question, and Daddy said it was okay to call you." Parker gripped his father's cell phone tightly with both hands, looking very serious for a six year old.

"Of course, Parker. You can ask me anything."

"Will you go to Disney with me and Daddy?" She wasn't expecting that. She stumbled for a moment, trying to process the request.

"I…well…"

"Please Bones? Daddy said that you've been kind of sad lately, and that's no fun!"

"Yeah, please Bones?" Booth chimed in, grinning as he imagined the shocked look on her face.

"Did your father put you up to this?" It would not have been the first time; she had trouble saying 'no' to the little boy, and her partner exploited this weakness mercilessly. However, this was crossing the line.

"Parker came up with this idea all on his own, I swear."

"I thought it was supposed to be a family vacation for the two of you."

"I know, but I want you to come! Pretty please! I promise I won't ask for anything else ever ever ever again" pleaded the younger Booth.

"I just don't think it's a good idea. I have a lot of work to do, and it really should be a family vacation." Parker's face fell at this last statement. Booth leaned over and whispered something in his ear.

"There is more than one kind of family, Bones."

"Yes…but-"

"Bones, you have thirty seconds to come up with another lame excuse." Booth inserted.

"My excuses aren't lame."

"So you admit that you're just making excuses."

"I…well…"

"Thirty…twenty nine…twenty eight…" He started counting down, causing the anthropologist to become more and more flustered.

"Remember the tree!" Parker shouted. There was silence for a moment before Brennan finally spoke again.

"Okay, I'll go, but-"

Parker began cheering loudly, causing Brennan to hold the phone away from her ear so as to preserve her hearing, and drowning out any possible objections she could have had. Though a little surprised that she actually agreed to go, Booth couldn't help but smile; the trip was looking better and better by the minute. He made a mental note to ask Parker later about what he meant by 'remember the tree'. "You're the best, Bones. I'll e-mail you with all of the flight plans and stuff like that. See ya Sunday!" He chimed in, taking the phone from Parker, shutting it, and tossing it across the room. He turned to his son and gave him the biggest bear hug possible; Parker shrieked and attempted to wriggle out of his grasp. The two wrestled on the best for several minutes, before collapsing in a heap, energy spent. Across town, a very perplexed anthropologist stared at her now quiet mobile device, wondering exactly what she had just gotten herself into.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Angela entered her best friend's office to ask if she had decided on a place for their girl's night out dinner that evening, she found the forensic anthropologist pacing the room, a troubled look upon her face. "Bren? If you haven't come up with a place to eat yet, that's okay. No need to get all bent outta shape. We can just go to that swanky little French place on 5th. How's that sound?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have the tissue depth markers done on the latest skull yet, I'll have them finished for you by lunch," Brennan replied, still pacing.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Angela walked over and grabbed hold of her friend's wrist, causing the scientist to jump slightly at the sudden contact. Temperance stopped and looked up at the dark haired woman.

"What makes you think something is wrong?"

"You're wearing a hole in your carpet?"

"Am I?" Her eyes darted to the carpet, searching for signs of damage, "I don't see any wear spots. Given the amount of time I have spent walking on this rug and the composition of the carpet fibers, I don't think it's physically poss…"

"I meant that figuratively. I love you to pieces, but you need to take things a little less seriously. I was merely pointing out the fact that you are pacing around your office like a tiger in a cage."

"Angela, I don't see how I resem…"

"I have to stop using metaphors with you, "Angela sighed, shaking her head, "You look like your troubled by something and you completely ignored my first question. What's up with you today?"

"Sorry, Ange. I…well…It's just that," she paused for a moment to collect her thoughts, "Parker called and invited me to go to Walt Disney World with him and Booth."

"You'd be spending a whole week with that sexy partner of yours and his adorable son." Angela grinned wickedly," Parker must really adore you to invite you on a family vacation, I hope you didn't tell that darling little boy no."

"I said I would go." Angela squealed, bouncing on her heels in excitement. She quickly grabbed Temperance by the arm and dragged her towards the door, stopping only to collect Brennan's purse from the desk. "Come on, we're going shopping!"

"Angela, we have work to do."

"We don't have any active cases, so we've just been identifying bodies in limbo. They've waited hundreds of years; they can wait for us to come back from shopping."

"I have clothes, I don't need to go shopping."

"First, we need to get you a totally hot bathing suit," noting the glare from her friend, Angela continued, "a tasteful, yet hot bathing suit. Plus, I doubt you have anything appropriate to wear to a theme park."

"There is special attire for theme parks?"

"Yes. This will totally be better than a girls' night out. Have you gotten your plane ticket yet? How about a reservation at the hotel? You also need a park pass. Does Cam know you're going yet? You've got a ton of packing to do too! What are you still doing here?! You've only got two days to get ready!"

"Slow down, Angela; one thing at a time. I just finished booking the same flight as Booth and Parker and called the hotel to secure accommodations. I checked the website, and I can get a park pass once I get down there. I also had my request for vacation approved my Cam. I will have more than an adequate time to complete my pre-trip preparations."

"Good, then we are free to shop. We need to get you some totally hot clothes," Angela declared, dragging her best friend out of her office and towards the lab exit, Brennan still protesting along the way.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks again to everyone for your reviews and support. Comments/Suggestions are always welcome. Withouth further ado, Chapter 3...

At precisely 4:45 AM, there was a sharp knock on Booth's front door. The FBI agent, juggling two cups of coffee, swung the door open and did a double take. Temperance Brennan stood on his doorstep, dressed in a pair of denim Bermuda shorts and a plum colored tank top; instead of her usual heels, she wore brown leather flip flops, and her hair was swept up in a pony tail, a pair of sunglasses resting on top of her head.

"Wow, Bones. I've never seen you look so," he searched for the right word, "casual."

"Angela insisted that I needed to buy new clothing for the trip. Apparently my regular attire is not adequate for time spent in an amusement park."

"I agree. 4" pumps and a wool blazer doesn't exactly scream fun in the sun." He handed her one of the cups of coffee and lead the way back to the kitchen, while Brennan tried to ignore how good he looked barefoot in a pair of khaki shorts and a plain black t-shirt.

"I made sure everything was packed last night, so we should be good to go in about 10 minutes, which leaves plenty of time before our 7:30 flight. We can grab something for breakfast at the airport. Parker is still asleep. We stayed up late watching Disney movies."

"He's really excited, isn't he?"

"I'd say so," Booth grinned, "I think I finally have Captain Fantastic beat."

"Booth! This is not a competition."

"I know. I just feel like I've missed out on so much of his life, and I feel like I've let him down as a father. Brett does all these cool things with him, but a part of me gets jealous, you know? I wish that I could be the one taking him skiing and doing his homework with him every night and helping him with school projects. I'm trying so hard to be a good dad, and I finally feel like I'm doing something right here."

"You're a great father, Booth," she replied, placing a hand on his arm.

"Thanks, Bones." The smile returned. "Why don't you go get Parker up? We should leave in a minute or two."

"Are you sure?" She looked a little nervous.

"He's been talking about you non-stop since you agreed to come, he'll be thrilled. All you have to do is get him dressed and then bring him right back out here. It's not rocket science." he replied, taking the coffee cup, turning her around and giving her a little push towards the child's room. She returned a few minutes later, carrying a sleepy-looking 6 year-old, who sported an identical outfit to his father. Booth watched them for a few moments, his heart nearly beating out of his chest; the two of them looked so natural together, and it was a sight Seeley felt he could never tire of seeing. Noticing that Brennan had caught him staring, he offered no explanation and headed off for one last sweep of the house. Once he was finished, the trio gathered up the luggage, tickets, and other paraphernalia and set off for the airport.

Seven hours, one very delayed flight, two broken baggage carousels, four cups of coffee, and one daredevil cabdriver later, they finally arrived at their destination, The Caribbean Beach; only slightly worse for wear. Booth stepped out of the cab, gazing around at the tropical paradise; the resort was decorated in an island theme, complete with brightly colored buildings, white sandy beaches, traditional music, lush vegetation, and thousands of palm trees. He slipped his sunglasses into place and retrieved the bags from the trunk of the cab. Before he could take two steps, Brennan was already arguing that she was perfectly capable of carrying her own luggage. Ignoring her, he took a deep breath of fresh air and walked inside to check in.

"That arrogant, chauvinistic, ma…" She stopped herself, noticing that Parker was looking up at her.

"Are you mad about something, Bones?"

"No, I just don't think Bo-your father had to carry my luggage. I could have done it myself."

"I think it was nice of my daddy to carry all that stuff. I hope when I grow up that I'm big and strong like him." Brennan smiled despite herself.

"I'm sure you'll grow up to be just like him" she replied, causing Parker to beam proudly. "Now, let's go find your dad so we can get checked into our rooms."

"Rooms? Aren't you staying with us, Bones?"

"No Parker, I'm going to be in a room probably down the hall." Parker's smile faded.

"I promise that I'll still come and spend time with your in your room though, okay? Come on, the quicker we get checked in, the quicker we can go to…"

"Disney!" Parker took hold of her hand and practically dragged the anthropologist inside. They spotted Booth standing at the front desk and went over to join him. After the Booth's accommodations were straightened out, Temperance stepped up to the counter.

"I have a reservation as well, under Brennan." The gentleman behind the desk clicked several keys on the computer before looking up, an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we are completely full."

"But I called two days ago. I made a reservation."

"There must have been a glitch in our system. There is a marching band staying with us for the week, and they have taken all of the available rooms. This is a very busy time for us. I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do."

"You can stay with us, Bones!" Parker jumped up and down excitedly.

"But…what about the sleeping arrangements?" Her stomach did a flip-flop at the thought of sharing a room, a bed to be specific, with her partner. After their trip to Vegas, it had taken her a week to be able to fall asleep without his distinct scent lingering in the air. She could only imagine how damaging this trip could be to her regular sleep patterns.

"There are two beds, so it'll be fine." Booth grinned, throwing his arm over her shoulder and directing her towards the door before she could object further. When she wasn't looking, he turned back to wink at the concierge, who smiled broadly and gave him a thumbs up.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey all! Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I meant to have it up earlier. It's the last chapter that I have completely written, but I'm going to work hard to get the next part up as soon as I possibly can. Enjoy! It's late and I haven't really had a time to proof-read this well, so I apologize for any mistakes.

Parker had fallen asleep before they even reached the hotel, riding on his father's back as they walked from the shuttle. They had spent the day at Magic Kingdom; the park was so large and so much time had been lost in traveling, that they decided to spend this first day going to the different shows being offered, and would devote another whole day to the amusements. When Cinderella's castle first came into view, Parker's eyes went as wide as saucers and he began bouncing up and down in anticipation. Despite his excitement, he still made sure to listen to everything his father said and behaved marvelously. He talked non-stop the entire day, pausing only during a show and for meals, and made a point to hug every character they came across.

At first, Brennan did not seem very captivated with what the park had to offer; while in the Enchanted Tiki Room, she tried to argue that it was not anthropologically possible that various species of tropical birds would gather together to sing songs. She had a similar argument against letting children be fooled into thinking that a group of brown bears would create a band called "The Country Bears". As the day progressed, however, her objections became less frequent and she actually seemed to be enjoying herself; even allowing her picture to be taken with Aladdin and Jasmine.

Booth smiled, thinking back to when Bones had grabbed his arm during the 'Honey, I Shrunk the Audience' show when Adam's pet snake was accidentally released. He resisted the urge to tease her about her fear of snakes, even if it was a silly computer generated image; the last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable when she was finally starting to relax, or jeopardize his position as her source of comfort when she got scared. It was good to see his partner laughing and smiling, her pale blue eyes sparking in the summer sun.

As they entered the hotel room, Booth signaled for Brennan to turn down the sheets; she did as instructed, and he deposited the sleeping boy in the center of the bed. "Thanks Bones" He whispered, straightening up. "I'm going to hop in the shower. Do you need the bathroom first?"

"No, I can wait." Booth gathered his toiletries and headed for the bathroom, while Temperance put in a call to room service and quietly organized her suitcase and other belongings.

When Booth exited the shower clad only in a pair of shorts, he found his partner sitting out on the balcony, sipping a cup of tea; a bottle of his favorite beer chilling in the ice bucket on the small patio table. During his absence she had changed into an old t-shirt and a pair of plaid flannel shorts; her legs tucked beneath her, sea-blue eyes gazing off across the courtyard, looking totally relaxed as a gentle breeze ruffled her auburn locks. Booth stepped onto the balcony and took a seat in the remaining chair, opened his beer, and took a long swig of the ice cold liquid. They sat in silence for several moments. "Thanks for coming, Bones. I know this isn't your ideal vacation," he said, tossing his feet up on the wooden railing and sinking back into the chair.

"I'm enjoying myself, Booth. I'm in a completely new habitat and I find the environment to have many anthropologically interesting qualities"

"Only you could turn a trip to Disney World into a case study", He grinned, "But I did notice that you stopped trying to argue about fanciful qualities of the performances"

"I…I thought back to what you said at Christmas time, about Christmas magic and how it's okay to lie to children in order to maintain a bit of fantasy in their world..." Her gaze dropped to the floor, a red tinge to her cheeks. "I guess I just didn't want to ruin the trip for Parker…"

"Bones. You could spend the entire day talking about how everything about this place is completely improbable, how fairytales don't exist, or how Mickey Mouse is really just some kid in a costume, and that little boy would still being having the time of his life. This place is magical, no matter how old you are or how many doctorates you might have."

"You know, I was supposed to come here with my parents when I was little", a sad smile touched the corners of her lips, "but stuff kept getting in the way and so the trip was postponed again and again. Then my parents disappeared. I just remember wanting so badly to see watch the fireworks behind Cinderella's castle, meet all the different characters, and to see the Magical Light Parade. It just feels so strange to finally be here, after all these years."

"A good kind of strange?"

She thought about this for a few minutes. When Booth was sure she wouldn't respond, she finally spoke, "Yeah, it's a good feeling." She turned to face him, a genuine smile lighting up her features. Booth thought that she never looked more beautiful. However, the smiling was fleeting and her eyes gravitated towards the floor again. "I just…are you sure I'm not in the way? This was supposed to be your week to bond with Parker. I know how much you were looking forward to it."

He reached over and took her hand in his, causing her to look up at him, slightly startled. "You could never possibly get in the way. Your presence makes this trip even better than I could have hoped, and I can't imagine spending this vacation any other way. Just relax and have fun, you're doing great. Parker is thrilled that you were able to come, and so am I". He gave her hand a squeeze and a meaningful smile before rising from his chair. He headed back inside the hotel room, thanking her for the beer on his way and wishing her a good night.

Brennan stayed on the balcony for some time after Booth's departure. His words replayed over and over again in her head, and her hand still tingled from his touch. Once confident that her partner was sound-asleep, she crept into the room and carefully slid into bed. Even across the mattress, his scent permeated her senses, causing her chest to flutter slightly. She mentally berated herself for getting so worked up over sharing a bed with a man; she had shared a bed with several men in the past, but this wasn't just any man; and her feelings for this particular male ran deeper than she cared to admit, even to herself. Upon first entering the room she was horrified to find only a single King-sized bed. A quick call downstairs to the concierge confirmed that there was indeed some sort of mix-up, and that although they were very sorry for any inconvenience, there was nothing they could do. However, it was now late and she was tired from the action-packed day. With the exception of the floor, which did not look very appealing, there was nowhere else to sleep, so she would just have to make the best of the current situation. To relax, she began silently reciting the names of bone disorders silently; dropping off to sleep somewhere around Osteomyelitis.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews that I have received so far, I greatly appreciate any and all feedback. Here is the next chapter, I apologize for the long delay in getting this finished. This is Day 2, Part 1. Enjoy!

Early morning sunlight streamed into the room through the balcony, illuminating everything in a soft pink glow. Temperance awoke feeling completely and utterly content, a warm sensation radiating through her body, despite the heavily air conditioned hotel room. She let out a relaxed sigh and snuggled backwards, trying to borrow further into the source of the warmth, and was rewarded with a deep groan. Her eyes flew open and she quickly attempted to assess the situation. She looked down to see a large, muscular arm protectively hugging her mid-section, which was attached to a certain, handsome FBI Agent, snuggled up against her. The fight-or-flight sector of her brain screamed for her to flee, but something, besides Booth's arm, kept her in place. She noticed how relaxed he was in his sleep, as if the stresses of life were temporarily forgotten. Deciding against rousing him from such peaceful slumber, she settled herself back into a comfortable position and despite her racing heart, sleep eventually claimed her again.

Booth awoke several minutes later, feeling more refreshed and relaxed than he had in ages. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to find a certain forensic anthropologist in his arms. He quickly scanned the room for Parker, who had originally been sleeping in between the two adults. His son was across the room, watching an early morning cartoon show, obviously to the events playing out on the bed. Realizing that he would have to act quickly, to avoid waking his partner and alerting her to the rather awkward situation, he rose as quietly as possible; feeling relieved when she didn't stir. Once he was safely out of the bed, he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently shook her into consciousness.

"Yo, Bones. Time to get up. Parker and I have been up for ages", he lied. "We have to get this day started." Brennan sat up in bed, silently pondering if the events of earlier had all been just a dream, and unable to reach a satisfactory conclusion. While she headed off to the bathroom to change, Booth stole control of the remote to check the daily forecast.

A quick check of the weather channel confirmed that it was to be a very hot day, with temperatures in the high 90's and the humidity near 75. As it was too hot to spend the day sweating at one of the theme parks, the trio decided to spend the first part of the afternoon at the pool. After a quick breakfast, the boys gathered towels and bathing suits, while Brennan opted to stay fully clothed, lecturing Booth at length about the dangers of too much sun exposure and how her time would be better spend in the shade, which is exactly where she headed upon arriving at the pool.

Temperance had always loved watching people; being somewhat unpopular as a young girl, she was often left out of activities by her peers. At first she had been disappointed with being picked last for dodge ball or sitting out the game of basketball at recess, but over time she became quite fascinated with evaluating the action from a spectator's point of view. As a grad student, studying kinesiology, she would spend her lunch breaks on the steps of the university and watch passersby; analyzing their gait, she could pick out those who were in pain, women who were pregnant, and even those pedestrians who were simply stressed out or depressed.

Today was no different. While Booth and Parker splashed around in the pool with several other hotel guests, Brennan sat on a nearby lounge chair in the shade of a large umbrella. They had tried to coax her into the water, but she had insisting that she wanted to read instead. While she had determined the novel borrowed from Angela to be mildly interesting, she found herself repeatedly staring off into space, watching the conglomerate of swimmers. One person in particular seemed to hold her attention more than others; the way his finely toned muscles rippled as he moved, the way the water cascaded down each clearly defined pectoral and abdominal muscle, the way the sun glinted off the water droplets in his richly brown hair. She found herself wondering what it would feel like to run her fingers down his back; committing each scar, every inch of flesh to memory. His hands also were a point of fascination; they were so strong and yet, there was something gentle about them. She wanted to touch them and be touched by them. The way they felt on the small of her back, delicately pointing her in the right direction without being overly pushy. Rationally, she knew that it was a show of dominance towards other males, something she usually hated, but for some reason she couldn't get mad at him for his alpha-male tendencies, at least not that particular display. The scientist in her wanted to analyze each and every molecule of his being, while the woman in her wanted to throw him down on an exam table and have her way with him. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she attempted to hide herself behind the paperback, hoping he hadn't noticed her deliberately staring at him, or the flush of her cheeks that had nothing to do with the temperature. Too late. He was looking directly at her, cocky grin in place, wading over to the edge of the pool.

"Hey Bones!" Booth shouted from the edge of the pool, splashing a little water her way. She looked up from her book but said nothing. "I forgot that I was still wearing my watch, and it's not waterproof. Can you come get it for me?" He waved a fist in the air. Temperance sighed and placed her book on the lounge chair, hoisting herself up and walking over to the edge of the pool. She bent down and offered out her hand. Booth grinned wickedly, but made no move to place the watch in her outstretched hand. "You want to know something funny, Bones?"

"Not really, but I'll assume that you are going to tell me anyway" she stated, rolling her eyes.

"Aww…come on. Humor me."

"Fine. Tell me what you find so funny."

"I wasn't wearing a watch in the first place" He smirked.

"I don't understand what is so funny. If you aren't wearing a watch, what did you need me for?" She snapped, turning to leave.

"So I could do this." He stated simply, grabbing her arm and pulling the unsuspecting, fully-clothed scientist into the pool. She sputtered and coughed at the sudden introduction to the aquatic environment. Whirling around, Temperance fixed Booth with a steely glare. He returned her glare with a lopsided grin, trying very hard to contain his laughter. Her hair hung in her face and her sandals, which had flown off during the plunge, floated to the surface around her. Booth was finding it difficult to focus on her adorably angry face as her once white tank top was now very see-through, giving him a lovely view of a black, lacey bra. He silently thanked Angela for helping his partner pack for the trip.

"That was not funny, Booth."

"Parker seems to think so." He replied, indicating the young blonde boy who was giggling profusely a few feet away. "The 'drowned rat' appearance looks good on you."

"I don't know what that means." She spat, wading over to the edge of the pool and pulling herself out. Sopping wet, she stormed over to the lounge chair, snatched up her possessions, and stalked off towards the hotel room.

"Awww, come on Bones! Learn to live a little!" He called after her, turning back towards Parker and laughing hysterically.


	6. Chapter 6

Here is the second part of Day 2. Enjoy! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed!

Later in the day, though it was still uncomfortably hot and humid, the group got ready and hopped on the shuttle to Epcot, not wanting to miss one day of what Disney had to offer. As they approached the park, the symbolic silver sphere came into view, and Parker's eyes once again went wide in amazement.

"Daddy! Bones! Look at the ball! It's just like in the picture!" he exclaimed, climbing up in his seat to get a better view.

"Did you know that you can go inside the ball?" Booth asked.

"Really?! Can we, please?"

"Of course, buddy. There is a ride in there called 'Spaceship Earth'. How about we go on that first, and then we'll see what else there is to do before dinner."

"Okay!"

As it turned out, the ride was a big hit with Parker, much to Booth's dismay. It seemed that his son was already turning into a squint. Afterwards, they traveled to Mission: Space, Soarin', and The Seas. Parker loved each attraction equally, and even Bones seemed to be enjoying the presentations. Booth remained quiet for the most part, simply enjoying the interaction between the two people he loved most in the world.

When hunger got the best of them, it was time to pick a restaurant for dinner; Brennan studied the surrounds intently as they walked through the different countries, a look of mild annoyance on her face. However, she managed to keep her thoughts and objections to herself, instead focusing on answering the questions Parker posed to her, which Booth estimated numbered in the thousands.

After completing the entire loop, they were still unable to pick a place to eat; Booth, of course, wanted to eat in Italy, Parker asked for traditional American food, and Brennan had her heart set on the Moroccan restaurant. As the partners began to bicker about the decision, Parker watched silently, eyes darting between the two "adults".

"Can we just choose a place already? It's going to start raining any minute now, and I for one would rather be inside when that happens." Booth sighed.

"Fine. What's wrong with my restaurant choice?"

"In case you've forgotten, we're dining with a 6 year old. I doubt he'll be able to find something he likes to eat here."

"You haven't even looked at the menu."

"I don't have to."

"Let's just go to the Italian restaurant, seeing as I doubt your alpha-male tendencies will allow you to back down from even the most trivial argument. You may as well get your way or we'll never eat."

"What's that supposed to mean, huh?" Booth demanded, taking a step closer to her.

"I know how to solve the problem", Parker piped up, "how about we take turns picking a place to eat? Tonight can be Bones' turn. Then Daddy can choose tomorrow. And I can choose the day after that?"

"Are you sure about that? I don't know if you'll like what they have to eat here."

"They have chicken fingers. I like them."

"How did you know that?" Booth asked, looking curious.

"I saw it on the menu while you two were fighting." Brennan smirked at Booth, almost as if to say 'I told you so'.

"Oh, we weren't fighting…we were…we were just talking really loudly. It's totally fine, Parker. Me and Bones, we're good, right?"

"Oh, uh, yes. Just fine" she stammered, suddenly looking awkward.

"Great!" Booth exclaimed sarcastically, clapping his hands and rubbing his palms together. "Let's eat!"

As they exited the restaurant after dinner, the rain finally arrived in full force. Parker let out an excited squeal and dashed into the downpour, stomping in every puddle he could find. Booth turned to his partner, "Now what?"

"Don't look at me. I didn't bring an umbrella." She replied testily, mildly glaring at him.

"I guess I'll go back inside and see if I can get some plastic trash bags or something we can use." He walked back inside only to return moments later looking annoyed. "They say it's against company policy to give them out. Probably because you can walk down the street and buy them for 10 a pop, only instead of a garbage bag, they call it a 'rain poncho'. Let me see if I can find a vendor that's still open in this storm."

"Don't bother."

"What do you mean? It's pouring rain out there."

"I've noticed, but I think Parker has the right idea." Her look softened as she gazed out at the young boy playing in the puddles.

"Are you serious? Who are you, and what have you done with my Bones?" He mentally berated himself for his slip, but she seemed not to notice.

"I don't know what that means, but I'm going to do what you recommended."

"And that is?"

"Live a little." She reached out and took Booth's hand in hers, pulling him out into the rain with her. Rain pelted their forms, instantly soaking them to the bone, hair and clothing clinging to their bodies. Brennan's eyes traveled down the length of her partner's body; his hair was matted against his head, water trickling down his white polo shirt clung to his body, accentuating every muscular curve. She was reminded of the pool and her stomach did a little flip-flop.

Booth looked her over and smirked. "Going for the 'drowned rat' look twice in one day, Bones? Is this going to become a permanent fashion statement? I don't know how well it'll work in the winter time though."

"I still don't know what that means." She looked down to see that they were still holding hands; they seemed to fit together perfectly, almost like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. She blushed furiously and quickly took her hand back.

"Standing in the pouring rain is not exactly what I mean by 'live a little'", he shouted over the din, "but it's a start."

Heat rose to her cheeks, embarrassed for once again missing some intended point.

"Consider it payback for nearly drowning me in the pool earlier!" she snapped.

"I didn't nearly drown you."

"Yes you did, you big lummox! Aren't they supposed to teach you agility and gracefulness at the FBI academy?"

Booth growled and lunged for the forensic anthropologist, grabbing her around the waist; she let out a small squeak of surprise as she was tossed over his shoulder. Ignoring her protests, he marched over to where Parker was still jumping around.

"Okay, time to go!" Booth scooped up they boy under his arm, and proceeded to carry his two noisy charges towards the entrance to the park.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for the delay in posting this. I've had a bunch of craziness going on in my life as of late. Thanks for all the wonderful comments. If anyone has any suggestions on other ideas or things you would like to see for this series, I would love to hear them. Anyways...without further interruption...

Day 3

The next morning, temperatures were cooler and the rain had stopped sometime during the night, so it was a perfect day to hit the rides at Magic Kingdom. Parker was disappointed to find that he was too short to ride some of the faster rides, but instantly perked up upon seeing the Bzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, which soon became one of his favorite rides. He also added to the list: Splash Mountain, Swiss Family Robinson's Tree House, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and Stitch's Great Escape. Predictably, Brennan favored the Hall of Presidents and the Carousel of Progress; both of which earned her a great amount of teasing from Booth. At the Haunted Mansion, Parker stopped in his tracks. He really wanted to go in, but was terrified to step beyond the large wrought iron gates guarding the entrance. Noticing his distress, Brennan knelt down to his level and whispered something in his ear. He nodded solemnly and took her hand in his, leading them through the gates and down the path to the dilapidated mansion.

"Don't worry, Bones. I'll protect you." He said with more confidence than he felt.

"Do I need to protection too?" Booth asked.

"Nope." Parker simply stated, shaking his head.

"Then why does Bones need protecting? Should I help too?"

"It's a secret, Dad. I've got it covered." Booth gave the pair a funny look but said nothing as he followed them down the path.

After a moderate wait, it was finally their turn to board the amusement. During the ride, Parker sat close to Temperance, holding onto her tightly as they flew past floating furniture, ghastly holograms, and glowing skeletons. However, by the end, Parker was laughing and wanted to ride the amusement several more times. Booth nudged Brennan and spoke just softly enough that Parker wouldn't hear.

"What did you say to him?"

"I told him that I was scared to go on the ride, and needed someone brave and strong to protect me from anything frightening." Seeley smiled at this and he slung and arm around his partner, pulling her close as they walked.

"You never cease to amaze me, you know that right? How'd you figure out the whole reverse psychology thing. You hate psychology."

"I apparently have a deceptively high learning curve. Dr. Goodman told me that once."

"I'll watch out for that."

The trio stopped mid-day to enjoy a little ice cream treat. As they sat on a park bench, Brennan noticed Parker staring longingly at the gift shop across the way, and an idea popped into her head. "Hey Parker, how would you like to help me pick out some gifts for my friends back at the lab? I have no idea what to buy for them, and I could really use some advice," she said with a smile. Parker's eyes instantly lit up, shaking his head vigorously in agreement. Booth looked over at her, smiling fondly; he watched in amazement as she helped Parker clean his face of the ice cream and chocolate before taking him by the hand and heading into the store.

Parker and Temperance perused the packed shop, the little boy suggesting various gift ideas as they went along; within minutes they had a Nightmare Before Christmas mug for Cam and a Little Mermaid animation cel for Angela. "Do you have any more presents to buy, Parker?"

"I bought presents for my mommy, Captain Fa…I mean Brett, my best friend Jake, and my other best friend Roger, Tammy, Simon, and Nick" Parker replied, counting the people off on his fingers, "but I still need presents for my dad…and for you…but I don't have any money…" he finished, looking a little embarrassed.

"You don't have to get anything for me, Parker."

"I know, but I really really really want to."

"I can agree to that, but only if you let me select a present for you too. And don't worry about the money, you can borrow from me."

"But then you're buying your own present."

"You can pay me back sometime, okay?"

"Wow! Thanks Bones!" His enthusiasm renewed, he eagerly began searching the shelves for more gifts.

Together they decided on a flashy red tie for Booth; a small picture of Mushu from Mulan at the bottom and various Chinese symbols scrawled along its length. Brennan thought it would go nicely with her partner's tattoos. She decided to one day ask about the origins of those small inked images on the inside of his wrists.

Walking past a wall of Muppet plush dolls triggered a synapse for Temperance, bringing her back to the days of her childhood when she would stay up to watch "The Muppet Show" with her dad and brother. She had been too young to understand some of the adult humor, but had loved the show just the same. Her favorite character had always been Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, the bespectacled scientist who seemed only capable of causing laboratory explosions. She found the character plush on the wall and held it up, thinking about how much he reminded her of Hodgins. It wasn't a typical work day unless there was some kind of explosion or crazy experiment. Dr. Honeydew had always had a faithful assistant, Beaker, who usually wound up being a human guinea pig. She found the Beaker doll with its fuzzy orange hair and white lab coat; her mind flashing back to the image of the shaggy haired graduate student from Michigan. Her chest tightened as she thought of Zach, and how he too usually ended up playing the victim/scapegoat in Hodgins' crazy plans.

"Are you thinking about your friend?" Parker asked, and Brennan simply nodded, fingering the lab coat on the doll.

"Why did he have to go away?"

"He", she paused, trying to figure out the best way to word it so that Parker could understand, "did something very bad and now he has to go away for a long time."

"Will he ever come back?"

"I don't really know"

"Well, I think he will. Everyone makes mistakes. If he's friends with you, he can't be a really bad person." Brennan chuckled at the irony of the statement, considering that she came from a family of criminals.

Parker suddenly spotted something and disappeared into the depths of the store, much to Brennan's dismay. She tried in vain to catch sight of him through the think crowd of people, her heart rate shooting into the stratosphere. Just when she was trying to decide how to break the news to Booth that she had lost his only son; the six year old returned carrying a black and white head scarf. He was grinning as he ran back, holding out the scarf. "Look what I found for you!" he shouted gleefully. Temperance let out a sigh of relief, and tried desperately to calm her rattled nerves, kneeling down to get a better look at his find. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that was first looked like white polka dots were actually miniature skull and crossbones. "I thought it would make you happy. It's got bones on it, and your name is Bones…well, you're name isn't really Bon-"

"I love it, Parker. It's one of the best gift I've ever gotten. Thank you", a genuine smile lit up her features, "I'll put it on as soon as we pay for it. Now we just need to find something for you."

After Parker selected a 'Pirates of the Caribbean' hoodie and bandana for himself, and a matching t-shirt for his father, they made their way to the register and paid for their purchases. In keeping with her promise, Temperance immediately pulled her hair into a ponytail and tied the headscarf like a headband. She modeled it quickly before helping Parker put on his own skull and crossbones bandana. Satisfied, they walked hand in hand out of the store and back over to Booth, who was still relaxing on the park bench.

After a few more rides, a walk through Cinderella's Castle, and dinner at Casey's Corner, it was almost time to head home for the evening. At Parker's request, they decided to hit one last attraction, 'It's a Small World'. Booth grimaced, knowing that his partner's head would most likely explode from all of the inconsistencies she would be able to point out, but he put on his best charm smile anyway and gentle guided Temperance towards the entrance with a carefully placed hand on the small of her back.

After what seemed like ten thousands choruses of "It's a Small World", it was finally time to board the boat that would lead them through the different countries; the two adults sat at opposite ends, with Parker seated in between them. Brennan did her best to keep a lid on her objections, but it became increasingly more difficult as the journey progressed. She wanted to keep alive the magic for Parker, who seemed to be greatly enjoying the ride, but this was ridiculous. The music was annoying, the scenery was stereotypical at best, and to be frank, the doll-like children were creepy. When she could take it no more, she sighed heavily and opened her mouth to speak.

"This is wrong." Brennan stated, shaking her head. "I've never seen such a blatant disregard for-"

"Hey, Bones?" Booth cut in, knowing exactly where this conversation was headed.

"Yes?"

"Shut up." He grinned, leaning over Parker and kissing his partner on the cheek, effectively silencing her for the rest of the ride.


	8. Chapter 8

I'm very sorry for the long delay in posting this chapter. I've been dealing with a lot of things in my personal life as of late and it sort of killed my creative spirit. I'm back now, and hopefully I'll be posting more frequently again. Thanks again to all of you who have supported me along the way. You are amazing. Anyway...on with the fic. I hope it was worth the wait.

Temperance awoke the next morning to the feeling of someone watching her. Cracking an eyelid, she found herself staring into a pair of light brown eyes hovering approximately six inches away from her face.

"Shhhh…" Parker warned before she could speak, holding a finger to his lips, "Daddy is still sleeping. He doesn't sleep well at home, so I want him to sleep lots while he's here."

"Breakfast?" she asked quietly, sliding out of bed. Parker nodded and Brennan headed into the bathroom to change. A few minutes later, the pair slipped out of the room while the FBI agent slept on.

At the food court, Brennan helped Parker order something for breakfast before directing him towards an unoccupied table. As they ate, Temperance studied her breakfast companion; he really was so much like this father, with the exception of his eyes. While they were a similar shade of brown, the boy's eyes held a brightness that she had never seen in her partner's chocolaty orbs. She supposed that it was Booth's many years as a sniper and as a special agent that had caused the change to occur, and the thought saddened her a bit.

"May I ask you a question, Parker?"

"Sure" he mumbled through a mouthful of blueberry pancakes.

"What did you mean when you said that your dad doesn't sleep well?"

"Sometimes he doesn't go to bed until super late, and he always looks tired. I think he has a lot of nightmares. He yells in his sleep a lot and thrashes all over the place; I can hear him from my room when I sleep over. He's been sleeping better this week though. I think it's because you're here."

"Why me?"

"Dad always feels better when you are around. I can just tell. He smiles a lot more and-"

"So why do you think he has nightmares?" She asked, quickly changing the subject.

"I dunno…maybe its monsters. But I thought monsters were too afraid to go after daddies and mommies." Parker looked worried, poking his remaining pancakes with a fork.

"Monsters?"

"Monsters who want to eat children. Daddy checks under my bed each night and in my closet to make sure there are no monsters hiding in there. Then he leaves the nightlight on so they'll be scared away. Maybe they are going after him, because he stops them from getting me." Brennan started to object, but decided against it, feeling that Booth would say there was no use explaining to a six year old that there was no such thing as monsters, at least not in the sense that Parker was worried about. She remembered being terrified of the same monsters when she was a child, and tried to think back on what her mother used to tell her.

"Monsters only go after bad children, Parker. Good children taste too sweet."

"Really?"

"Yes. It gives them cavities in their big scary monster teeth."

"No way!"

"Yes way. And trust me, you are very very sweet." Parker smiled at this, but still looked a bit uneasy.

"What about my dad? I don't want the monsters to go after him."

"Monsters are really afraid of your dad. He's kind of like a monster hunter." It was her turn to smile, thinking about all of the killers who were now behind bars because of Booth.

"Really?" he asked, in complete awe at his fathers supposed abilities. Brennan simply nodded. The little boy's appetite returned in full force and he gobbled down the remains of his breakfast.

As they were walking back to the hotel room, Parker turned to Temperance, a quizzical look on his face.

"Yes, Parker?"

"When monsters get cavities, do they go to a special monster dentist?" Brennan burst out laughing, earning her a very odd look from Booth's son.

"Yes, yes they do." She replied, once she had herself back under control. As they walked, still talking about what a monster dentist would be like, she wondered if all little children were this enjoyable to converse with. She had surprised herself with the ease at which the conversation flowed; usually she was virtually incapable of holding a conversation with, well, anyone, but here she was, talking about something totally and completely irrational as if it were fact. She idly wondered if Booth would be proud of her for this accomplishment.

After collecting the elder Booth, the rest of the day was spent at Animal Kingdom, which seemed to be Brennan's favorite location thus far. While she complained periodically about the misrepresentation of various geographic locations and the mixing of species that would not normally cohabitate, Booth could tell she was enjoying herself, despite how hard she fought to remain a completely empirical and rational scientist.

In keeping with the animal theme, the group decided to dine at The Rainforest Café that evening. The restaurant was crowded, but with Brennan's status on the Best Sellers List, they were seated quickly in a prime location.

"Hey Bones?"

"Yes, Parker?"

"When is your birthday?" Brennan's fork paused in midair, caught off guard by his question. "I-well…what makes you ask that?" Booth smirked, hoping that she would be unable to resist the charms of his six-year-old son. He had been trying to learn the this vital piece of information for two and a half years now, and it seemed as if he might finally find out. It was an unspoken rule within the lab that Dr. Brennan's birthday was to, under no circumstances, be celebrated. He could easily have looked up the date in her personnel files, or just badgered Angela or Max until they finally cracked, but he didn't feel right doing that. He wanted her to tell him, as something partners would share with one another.

"Just curious. My birthday is September 3rd and Daddy's is, um-", Parker thought for a moment, "July 15th!" he beamed, obviously proud of himself for being able to remember the date.

"Why didn't you tell me your birthday was in two weeks, Booth?" she asked, sounding slightly hurt.

"You never asked. I also don't seem to remember you telling me your birthday either. You gotta give something of yourself to get something in return, remember?"

"You seem to have a way of finding out personal information about me, so I'm surprised you didn't just get the date that way."

"Daffodil…Daisy…Jupiter…Jasper…Smurfette…Dolphins…" Booth replied, ticking the items off on his fingers, "A personnel file wouldn't give me that kind of information. I know you, Bones. Your likes, your dislikes, you." Brennan looked thoughtful, considering his statement.

"I don't see the point in celebrating my own birthday."

"Why not, Bones?" Parker piped up.

"I-" She hesitated.

"Maybe she just never had the right people to celebrate with, right Bub?"

"Yeah! We'll make sure it's lots of fun."

"So when is the big day?" Booth asked, a smug grin on his face.

"October 18th" She replied quickly, already regretting it as soon as the words were out of her mouth. She just couldn't say no to the two of them.

As they stepped outside after dinner, Brennan shivered against the chilly night air, wishing she had brought a sweatshirt. Sensing more than seeing her reaction, Booth instinctively wrapped a large, muscular arm around her shoulders, drawing her close to his body as they walked. She thought of pointing out his alpha-male tendencies or simply shrugging him off, but he felt so warm and his arms felt so comforting that she couldn't bring herself to do it; there was something about it which felt so natural, so right. He smiled when she didn't pull away, relishing in the feel of her body next to his. Maybe, just maybe, he had a chance afterall. He'd have to wait and see; like he always said 'everything happens eventually'.


	9. Chapter 9

Here's the next chapter. Sorry the long delay in getting it posted. It's late and I'm pretty tired, so it hasn't been proofed well. I apologize ahead of time for any mistakes. Enjoy!

Day 5

"Hurry up! We wanna get to Blizzard Beach before the lines get too long!" Booth whined through the bathroom door.

"Give me a minute! This bathing suit Angela picked out is more complicated than I anticipated."

"You have a genius IQ and you can't figure out how to put on a swim suit? You really need to get out more." he joked, and Brennan decided not to favor this with a response; he could visualize the gigantic eye roll she was probably giving him at that moment. Booth walked over to the bed and flopped down with a heavy sigh, while Parker continued to watch his morning cartoons.

Minutes later, the bathroom door opened and out stepped Brennan. Booth casually directed his eyes towards her and instantly felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him, and one single thought went through his brain; thank God for Angela Montenegro. His partner was wearing a turquoise bikini top that twisted in the front and wrapped around to tie in back, with a set of matching bikini bottoms. He thought he had died and gone to heaven when he saw her in the black 'Roxy' dress…but this brought the whole idea of 'hot' to a new level. The suit hugged every curve and accented her figure in just the right places. A part of his mind idly wondered that if the suit was so complicated to get on, how difficult would it be to get off again? Mentally slapping himself for that last, very perverted thought, he forced his gapping mouth shut and sat up on the bed.

"I…Wow. You look fantastic. But isn't it a little ill-advised to wear a two piece to a water park?" The perverted part of his brain began suggesting all sorts of scenarios involving bathing suit malfunctions, followed by more mental scolding by the section still capable of rational thought. He'd need to cool it if he wanted to make it through the day without earning a swift kick in the crotch from his partner.

"I've already thought of that," she replied, going back over to her duffle bag and selecting a UV protective shirt from her bag and slipping it on.

"Hey Bones, could you do me a favor? I need someone to put suntan lotion on my back. The last time, when I let Parker do it, he missed a few patches. It wasn't pretty." He said, shaking his head. Brennan nodded and collected the bottle from the nightstand. She squirted a generous amount on her hand and put the container down. With scientific precision, she began the application. Booth relished the feel of her delicate hands and had to do everything in his powers not to groan out loud. If he didn't know better, he would have thought that she was enjoying it as much as he was; her hands seemed to linger longer than necessary, massaging the lotion into his skin and giving each muscle individual attention. Her fingernails light grazed his skin, the sensation sending tendrils of pure pleasure racing up his spine. The tips of her fingers navigated his back with agonizing slowness, as if she were trying to commit each square inch to memory. She tread lightly over his scars,

As she increased the pressure and he could feel his pent up tension ebbing away; who knew that putting sun block on could feel so good. A small chuckle escaped his lips when her fingers made their way over his shoulders and began their descent down his chest.

"What, Booth?"

"Nothing."

"You're laughing at me."

"No I'm not."

"You are."

"Okay, fine. I just thought it was kind of funny how you appear to have migrated away from my back. You just wanted to touch my chest, didn't you?" he teased.

"I-well…I had extra lotion left over, so I thought I may as well use it up. I'm sorry." Her face reddened and she looked away. Booth wanted to kick himself for making her uncomfortable, especially because he had really been enjoying her ministrations. She went to remove her hands, but Booth reached up and caught them firmly in his own, holding them in place, turning to face her.

'Please don't stop' his mind begged, but instead he said "I was just teasing you. That was perfect, thanks. Shall we get going?" He gave her a goofy grin.

"Yeah…let's do that." she replied, a small smile playing on her lips as Booth let go of her hands.

Stretching out on his inner tube, Seeley idly floated down the Lazy River, totally relaxed and at ease. The first part of the day had been spent running from ride to ride, and now it felt good to take a break and just enjoy the warm summer sunshine. Temperance had tried to opt out of the ride, claiming she needed to check in with the lab. Booth firmly told her that she was on vacation as well, which meant she was not obligated to check in; the Jeffersonian would call her if an urgent matter arose. Confiscating her phone and locking in back in their rented locker, he took her by the hand and dragged her off towards the ride. He now floated with one foot resting on her inner tube, to make sure she wouldn't escape without him noticing. In retaliation, she would playfully splash him anytime he looked to be getting too comfortable, and then would try her best to act nonchalant when he looked in her direction, a task at which she failed miserably. Under the watchful eye of his father, Parker paddled along nearby, practicing his swimming techniques while still safely supported by his own brightly colored rubber ring.

They floated in silence for sometime, each lost in their own thoughts, when they were suddenly alerted to a disturbance from behind; some larger kids were joking and carrying on, shoving one another and making a general nuisance of themselves. As the kids converged on the trio, a particularly burly boy gave one of his friends a hard shove, tossing him across the waterway and directly into Parker's tube. From the force of the impact, Parker slammed up against the concrete edge of the river before being forced underwater. Booth was on his feet within seconds, with Brenna close behind. He quickly made his way over to his son and scooped him out of the water, holding him tightly to his chest. The young boy, coughing and sobbing, clutched his elbow, which had been gashed open on the concrete. The older children took one look at the fuming FBI agent and swam away as fast as they possibly could.

After exiting the ride, they took Parker to the first aid station to be patched up. He recovered from the ordeal rather quickly, and perked up even faster at the promise of ice cream after dinner. Brennan was amazed at his resilience, and told him over and over again about how brave he had been, while gently ruffling his blonde curls. Booth was unusually quiet; Brennan watched him, and felt a pang of sadness, realizing that he most likely blamed himself for what really was just an unfortunate accident. She searched for the right words to say, but as usual, could find nothing relevant; so she did the only thing she could think of, and gave him a "guy hug". Parker joined in on the hug, and the smile returned to Booth's face, though his eyes still looked troubled.

After a quick dinner and ice cream, they headed back to the hotel, the emotional day having worn them all out prematurely. Booth lay awake that night for a long time after everyone else had fallen asleep, the thought of how much he could have lost that day had Parker been more seriously injured playing heavily on his mind.


	10. Chapter 10

Hello again! I'm terribly sorry for the long delay in posting this chapter. I was away camping during the Labor Day Weekend, and between the trip and preparing for the trip, cleaning up from the trip, work, and a job interview...I haven't had much time to write. I tried to make this one extra yummy, as my apology for always taking forever to post. I hope you enjoy it. If you have any comments or even suggestions for what they would like to see in the next story in the series, I'd love to hear them. Anyways...enough of my ramblings.

Day 6

The next morning, while the two adults slept, Parker sat staring at the alarm clock; each minute felt like an eternity as he watched the glowing numbers change periodically. When it finally read '7:00 am', he scrambled into a standing position and began jumping on the bed, jostling the other two inhabitants into consciousness.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It's time for breakfast with Mickey!" he shouted, oblivious to the groans of his father.

"Okay. Okay. Okay. We're up," Booth whined, looking at the clock, "but breakfast doesn't start for another two hours."

"I know, but I don't want to be late! This is really really important."

"I know, bub."

Brennan continued to lie there, making no effort to get up. Booth grinned wickedly.

"Why don't you show Bones how we get each other up when you stay at my house?" His son nodded eagerly and knelt down next to the forensic anthropologist. Bringing his face right up to her ear, he began sniffing rapidly, much like a dog. She shrieked and tried to move away from the sudden onslaught, but Parker refused to relent. Whirling around, Temperance launched her counter attack, going for his sides and tickling the little boy mercilessly, mindful of his injured elbow. Parker jumped back into the safety of his father's arms and yelled "Get her, Daddy!" Booth leapt into battle, tackling his partner and pinning her to the bed beneath him. Smiling triumphantly, he then began the systematic search to find her most ticklish spot. When he reached a spot just behind her knees, she shrieked again and began wiggling around in an attempt to escape; Parker watched the exchange, laughing hysterically.

"I give up, I give up!" Brennan gasped, trying to push her partner away. Grinning at his apparent victory, Booth pushed himself up to a kneeling position. It was then that she decided to launch her counter attack, springing forward and knocking Seeley on his back. However, their momentum was too great, and the pair tumbled off the bed with a loud thud.

Groaning, the FBI agent and forensic anthropologist attempted to disentangle their limbs. While in the process, Booth stiffened, becoming very aware of the provocative position he was currently in; he was straddling his partner, her body lying prone beneath his, their hair a mess, bodies glistening with a hint of sweat, chests heaving from the physical exertion of the fight. His eyes traveled the length of her body, lingering on her stomach, which had become exposed when her shirt rode up during the tumble off the bed; the delicate skin was the color of fresh cream. He wanted her, badly; it took all of his self control not to wrap his fingers in her hair and claim her lips in a mouth-crushing kiss. Acting as if possessed, a finger reached out and teasingly traveled up her side and along the pale flesh of her abdomen, dipping quickly into her belly button. Brennan let out a barely audible gasp and her entire body tensed. Coming to his senses, Booth quickly remove himself from atop her, his cheeks the color of a ripe tomato, mumbling apologizes for getting carried away, and offering her a hand up, which she hesitantly accepted.

A glance at the clock prompted everyone hurried around the hotel room so they could still leave as planned. While Parker busied himself getting ready in the bathroom, While Temperance was packing sunscreen and extra camera batteries, she noticed Booth sitting on the bed, staring off into space. She took a seat next to him, lightly placing a hand on his arm. He seemed startled by the sudden contact. He turned to face her, still smiling. Despite his jovial exterior, one look in his eyes told Brennan that something was still deeply troubling her partner. "What's wrong, Booth?"

"Nothing. I'm just fine."

"You're lying to me." She stated firmly, an unhappy look on her face.

"Since when did you start reading other people?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Since I became partnered with you. I know you, Booth, and I know when you aren't telling me the truth. I thought you trusted me by now."

"I do trust you, with my life. Don't ever doubt that." His tone suggested absolutely seriousness.

"Then tell me what's bothering you. If it's about the tickling match, I-"

"Look, it's nothing, okay?" he signed, running a hand through his short, dark hair, "I'm just thinking about yesterday…"

"The waterpark." Brennan nodded solemnly, "What happened isn't your fault, Booth. Besides, the medic said that it was only a minor gash, it shouldn't even leave a scar."

"That's not it. It's bad enough that he got hurt on what is supposed to be the most fun summer vacation ever, but I could have lost him forever. If I had been just a little slower…the outcome would have been totally different. I should have been more careful."

"You are always careful. There was no way of knowing what would happen. You acted quickly and took charge of an otherwise uncontrollable situation. Accidents happen and are completely unavoidable, that's why they are called accidents. We don't like to see those we care about get hurt or worse, but in this case, you were lucky and Parker is going to be just fine."

"Yeah…I guess…Rebecca is still gonna kill me." Brennan reached out and directed his face towards hers, locking eyes.

"You are a wonderful father, and Parker's hero." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Booth genuinely smiled and covered her hand with his.

"Thanks, Bones."

At that moment, Parker came bounding out of the bathroom. "Let's go! Let's go! It's time for breakfast with Mickey!" Booth stood up and pulled his partner up along side him. "You heard the man, let's go."

As expected, the restaurant was packed. Children were everywhere, some sitting quietly in their chairs, while the majority ran around after one another or climbed on the furniture. Staff dressed in character costumes floated around from table to table, including the ever popular Mickey Mouse, who was dressed up as a chef, and currently being hugged by a very enthusiastic Parker. Booth watched in amusement as his partner became uncharacteristically quiet and jumpy each time one of the mascots drew near.

"Bones," Booth grinned, failing miserably at keeping a straight face, "are you afraid of the Disney characters?"

"No! Of course not. Why would I be afraid of-". Tigger brushed past the back of her chair and she had to stifle a scream, quickly pulling her seat in as far as it would go. Booth lost it and started laughing hysterically. She glared at him, waiting until he could pull himself together again.

"Now who's lying?" He grinned.

"I just…don't like the fact that I can't see who it is inside the costume. It could be anyone. It's an irrational fear, I know, but it seems that I have no control over it. Can we just drop the subject?" Booth nodded, noting that she was clearly agitated. He knew there was a good reason behind her fear and he hoped one day that she might feel comfortable confiding in him.

Breakfast carried on with no further incidents. Once it was over, the trio hopped on a bus headed for MGM, also known as Disney Hollywood Studios. They spent the day seeing various shows and riding the few rides Parker was tall enough for. His favorite was Star Wars, which he insisted on riding 4 times. Brennan even kept an eye on Parker so that Booth could ride the Rockin' Roller Coaster, which he had been eyeing longingly since entering the park. His favorite part of the day was during the "Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular", when he was pulled up on stage to act as one of the extras; he beamed with pride when Brennan later commented on his excellent performance and Parker exclaimed that he was the coolest dad on the planet.

It was dark by the time they were ready to leave the park. As they trooped towards the exit, Booth turned his head off to the side, as if catching sight of something.

"Hey, Bones. I think Tigger over there wants a hug. He must be sad that you ignored him during breakfast."

"What? Where?!"

"He's walking up on your left." He nodded in the intended direction. Brennan whirled around quickly, ready to strike, a panicked look on her face. She was greeted with thin air and the sound of Booth laughing hysterically. She shot him a glare and smacked him hard on the arm.

"Not funny."

"No, of course not" he gasped, wiping tears from his eyes and rubbing his arm.

"I don't get it. Where's Tigger? Can I give him a hug too?" Parker asked curiously, looking all around.

"Don't worry about it, bub. It's nothing. I'm just teasing Bones a little." Booth chuckled, ruffling his son's curly locks.

"Well that's not very nice." The young boy stated firmly. "Come on, Bones. Let's go. I won't tease you, I promise." Parker took Brennan by the hand as they walked off at a much quicker pace, leaving Booth alone, shaking his head.

"Unbelievable…" he muttered. When it was clear that they were not slowing down, he sighed and jogged off after them. "Come on, guys! Wait up!"


	11. Chapter 11

Hello all! Here is the next chapter. I'm a little nervous about it, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! And thanks for sticking with me through this whole thing. You all rock!

Having exhausted the theme parks, Booth suggested they spend the last day at Downtown Disney before going to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks at night. While he and Parker scampered off towards Disney Quest, Brennan decided to sit this one out and explore more of Downtown Disney; she had woken up with a slight headache and figured that spending the day inside a building filled with bright flashing lights and noisy video games would not be the best thing to soothe her aching head.

Inside Disney Quest, father and son took turns choosing games to play, laughing and having a great time. They only took a break when the growling of their stomachs threatened to drown out the music from the arcade machines. A quick call to Temperance confirmed that she had already gotten something to eat on her own, and that she would see them for dinner later on in the day. Grabbing some food in the café area, Booth led the way to an open table, taking a seat across from his son. Halfway through his pizza slice, a thought struck the FBI agent.

"Hey Parker? When you were on the phone with Bones, asking her to come on the trip, what did you mean when you told her to remember the tree?" Booth asked, finally getting the question off his chest. He had meant to ask Parker earlier, but between packing, flying, and all the running around, he had totally forgotten.

"The Christmas tree." He stated simply, chewing on his pizza.

"Okay, what about the Christmas tree?"

"The tree we took to the prison. For Bones' family. It made her Christmas perfect. It was something important to her and you made it happen."

"But she already bought me a gift in return."

"Yeah, that doesn't count cuz you got her one too, I know, I saw it in your closet on Christmas Eve. This was something specialer. So now she is doing something specialer for you in return."

"So you thought that if she came with us, it would make me happy? And you figured that she would say yes because she felt she owed it to me?"

"Not because she owed it to you. She wanted to do it because she likes making you happy. When you really care about someone, you don't mind going out of your way or doing something you don't like, 'cuz you know in the end that the other person is going to smile. And you'd be the reason for their smile."

"And you thought of this all on your own?" Booth sat there stunned, trying to digest the conversation.

"Miss Angie might have helped me a little."

"Miss Angie?"

"The pretty artist lady. Remember when we ran into her at the diner a couple of days before the trip and then you hadta go outside for a phone call? I told her all about Disney and she said that I should ask Bones to come so that you would be happy. It would make your vacation the bestest ever. And I really like Bones. And she's your best friend. And Miss Angie said that Bones wouldn't be able to say no because I'm really cute and charming…", he paused to take a breath, "So she told me to do everything I could to convince Bones to come so that it would make your vacation perfect."

"She said all that, huh? But you know what? I didn't need Bones to come to have a perfect vacation, Parker. I love spending time with you and it would have been just fine if it were just the two of us."

"But it really is perfect now, right?" Parker wheedled, grinning mischievously.

"I-Yeah, it is. Thank you, Parker." Booth smiled, kissing Parker on the top of his golden blonde head.

"You really care about Bones, don't you?"

"Of course, I do. She is my partner."

"No. I mean really care about her. That's why you're always giving her little presents, and putting your hand on her back, and hugging her and stuff. You love her." The statement caught Booth off guard and he nearly choked on his soda. The most he could manage was a non-committal grunt as he searched for a way to change the conversation. "It's okay," Parker continued, oblivious to his father's discomfort, "I won't tell her. It will be our little secret."

"So…" Booth blew air through his lips, "You ready to go play some more video games?" Booth asked, once he regained control of his ability to talk again. Parker nodded vigorously, helping his father clear away the trash.

Later that evening, as the sky darkened, people began crowding around Main Street, anticipating the start of the fireworks display. Parker sat perched on Booth's shoulders, eating an ice cream cone. Brennan stood close to them, moving closer still as she spotted a large Winnie the Pooh making his way through the crowd; her partner stifled a laugh, but wrapped a protective arm around her waist, instantly softening the glare she shot him.

At 8pm sharp, the first rocket shot into the air, exploding with a loud crack into a sea of purple sparks. More followed close behind, causing the crowed to "ooh" and "aah". Brennan watched the show with almost child-like wonderment, jumping slightly at each sharp burst of sound. Booth hugged her close, finding himself watching his partner more than the show; a rare look at the head strong scientist without all of her empirical and emotional defenses. He found that he could spend hours watching her and never be bored.

Time seemed to speed by and the show was over before they knew it. Scanning the crowd, the FBI agent tried to determine the best possible exit route. As Parker let out a loud yawn, Booth reached up and transferred him to his hip; the young boy immediately snuggled against his chest and started falling sleep. Brennan watched them, surprised at how touching she found the scene to be. Being together with them, it felt so natural.

"Thank you, for everything, Booth" She smiled, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek.

"Huh?" Booth, preoccupied with finding the best possible exit, turned in the direction of her voice with the intention of asking her to repeat herself, and found himself locking lips with one very surprised forensic anthropologist. Electricity shot through his body and his knees went weak as his brain tried to comprehend what was happening. Her eyes fluttered closed for an instant as a soft sigh escaped her lips. He reached a tentative hand up to brush her cheek. The added contact seemed to bring Temperance to her senses; her eyes shot open and she stepped back quickly, breaking the connection.

"I…well…" she babbled, looking anywhere but his face.

"Uh…sorry about that, Bones…" Booth apologized, dropping his hand and then bringing it back up to cup the back of his neck, suddenly finding the ground a very interesting place to look.

"No need to apologize. It was simply an accident." Brennan stated, regaining her composure, emotional walls securely back in place.

"Yeah…and accident", Booth replied lamely, "Anyways…we should get going. It's late and we have a lot to do tomorrow." They walked in silence towards the shuttle, each lost in thought.

After arriving back at the hotel and putting a very sleepy Parker to bed, the partners found their way out to the balcony again; Brennan in one of the chairs, and Booth leaning on the balcony.

"This was a lot of fun. We should do this more often." he mused, looking out over the scenery.

"What, vacation together?"

"Yeah, I mean Parker adores you and I really enjoyed your company."

"I don't think that's a good idea." She focused her attention on her lap, hands fiddling with the hem of her cotton tank top.

"Why not?" He sounded surprised and a little hurt.

"There's a line, Booth. You know that. And this," she paused, gesturing around them, "this is coming dangerously close to crossing that line." Her voice trembled a bit as she fought to keep her emotions under control. Booth was thoughtful for several moments before speaking again. "What if I wanted to erase that line?" Temperance's head snapped up and she stared at him, searching his eyes for a sign that he was joking; she saw none. He saw her eyes cloud over as she quickly stood up, bade him a hasty good night, and practically flew back into the safety of the hotel room.

Booth leaned against the balcony, staring at the spot once occupied by his partner. He had blown it, big time; he had promised himself that he would take things slowly, and that he wouldn't push her into anything that she didn't want or wasn't ready for. 'So much for that plan', he thought wryly. His mouth still tingled from their earlier encounter. In that one moment, that one earth shattering, all consuming moment when his lips were pressed up against hers, nothing else mattered. The way she gripped his t-shirt, the way she sighed into his mouth ever so slightly, and the way, for that one nano-second, actually kissed him back. It was so much more than the kiss they had shared the previous Christmas, because this was not the result of an impish prosecuting attorney.

Bones had brushed it off as just an accident, but he had a hard time believing her. A part of him wanted to believe that she, dare he say, enjoyed it. She hadn't immediately run away or punched him in the face. That was a good sign, right? He sighed heavily in defeat, realizing with a sinking feeling that this incident would become yet another one of their we-don't-discuss-it-so-it-didn't-really-happen moments. The next day they would go home, and go back to being 'just partners'. Hell, it would probably take her a week to even look him in the eye again. But, a small glimmer of hope remained; no one ever said this would be easy, but he was up to the challenge. Seeley Booth was no quitter.


	12. Chapter 12

Hey Everyone! Here is the final chapter of Entropy. I do plan on continuing this series, but I want to try out a few other stories first. I will definitely keep you posted. Thank you to everyone who has followed this story. All feedback has been greatly appreciated.

Day 8

Epilogue

She stared at the duffle bag on her bed from the safety of the doorway, willing the contents to unpack themselves. It should have been an easy task, completed in all of 10 minutes, but for some reason, she could not bring herself to do it. What was holding her back?

Upon arriving at the airport, Booth had offered to drive her home after a quick dinner at the diner, but she had adamantly refused, claiming that she had a lot to do before returning to work the next morning. It was partially true; she had a few errands to take care of, but nothing that had to be done immediately. Truthfully, she was scared to be alone in the car with him, suffocating in the silence of words unsaid. Everything had been fine until he had suggested erasing the line. Well, and the fact that she kissed him.

Remembering the accidental kiss caused her stomach to do a little flip. She was puzzled by her emotional reaction; Booth was her partner, and there was a line. End of story. So why couldn't she stop thinking about him?

Growling in annoyance, she crossed to the bed, grabbing the offending object and hurling it off the bed and across room. It slid along the floor and came to rest halfway inside the open closet. Satisfied, she brought out the "to do" list she had made on the plane and quickly set about her chores. First up was the grocery store; being away for the entire week had meant arriving home to an empty refrigerator and barren shelves. Next, she vacuumed and dusted the whole house, cleaned the bathroom, reorganized her bookshelf, washed the windows, returned calls to 3 graduate students, and went through her closet for clothes to be given away.

Every so often, she would glance down at the duffle bag at her feet as she cleaned the closet. It would have to taken care of soon or later. She chided herself for allowing her emotions to get the better of her. It was as if unpacking her luggage would signify the real end of the vacation. A part of her wished for a return to normalcy; going to work each day and coming home each night to her own bed. She would know exactly what to do, how to act, and emotions wouldn't get in the way. No accidental kisses, cute little boys, tickle fights, or rain soaked white polo shirts. Yes, perhaps a return to the familiar would be best.

Exhausted, she poured herself into bed around 3am, but sleep would not come; music on, music off, under the covers, on top of the covers, nightlight on, nightlight off, windows open, windows closed. No matter what she tried, the minutes on the clock continued to tick by as she tossed and turned. Frustrated, she threw back the covers and stormed over to where the duffle lay protruding from the closet. Quickly unzipping the bag, she sorted the clothing into clean and dirty laundry, tossing them into separate piles.

One shirt in particular caught her attention. It was black, well worn, and definitely larger than anything she owned. Turning it right side out, she instantly recognized the "Guys and Dolls" logo; Booth had worn this shirt for the first time during their trip to Las Vegas. She brought the shirt up to her nose and inhaled the familiar scent that belonged to her partner as her mind flooded with images of little black dresses and a guy named Tony. Before she really knew what she was doing, she exchanged her current pajamas for the shirt and crawled back into bed. Tomorrow would be different; she would be back to being Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian, capable of rationalizing and compartmentalizing her experiences on this vacation; but tonight, she was emotional, illogical Tempe, and still able to feel the touch of Booth's lips on hers. And with that, she fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.


End file.
